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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 21, 2004

Contact: CMS Public Affairs
(202) 690-6145

HHS Approves Illinois SCHIP Plan to Provide Immediate Coverage to Children in Low-Income Families

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced the approval of an Illinois plan to immediately extend coverage to children from low-income families who are applying for benefits under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) -- known in Illinois as KidCare.

The plan will allow children who live in families with incomes of less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($37,700 for a family of four) to immediately receive services. These children can immediately use health care services while their parents complete the applications and they are reviewed. Families will not fear being billed for those services later if they are found ineligible.

"This change will mean more Illinois children will get health coverage immediately instead of having to wait until their paperwork gets processed," Secretary Thompson said. "It will result in better care for children and greater peace of mind for parents."

"I am pleased to endorse this plan to get immediate healthcare services to children who need them without delay," Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., said. "As a physician, I know how important it is to seek medical attention before an injury or illness becomes an emergency. With this new protection, parents don't have to let money worries interfere with their child's health needs."

SCHIP is a state-federal partnership program created in 1997 with a budget of $40 billion over 10 years. All 50 states and U.S. territories have an SCHIP program which is intended to bring access to health care to children in families with incomes too high for traditional Medicaid, but yet not enough to afford private coverage.

Nationwide, the SCHIP program provided health coverage to about 5.8 million children at some point last year. CMS is the agency that provides federal oversight over the program.

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Last Revised: May 25, 2004

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